Fuel-gas regulator



Patented Nov. 20, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,692,467 PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES QUINLAN, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA. 1

FUEL-GAS REGULATOR.

Application filed June 18,

This invention relates to a gas controlling device, and particularly tosuch a device adapted tobe placed in the gas conduit or line between theconsumers meter and the place of consumption of the gas. It is wellknown that the gas furnished by the gas companies in. cities variesgreatly in pressure at different parts of the day, depending upon theamount of gas-stored, and other factors. This difl erence in pressureand also the maladjustment of the burners ofthe consumers results in alarge waste or unnecessary use of gas. l

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple and efficientdevice for regulating or controlling the flow of. gas to the burners sothat the gas will be furnished in proper quantities and eflicientlyused. 7

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a device, bymeans of which a certain volume of gas will be allowed to flow for acertain period, sure on. the gas mains.

It is more specifically an object of the invention to provide such adevice comprising spaced members extending, across the gas supplyconduit having therein apertures of different sizes, which apertures arearranged in staggered or reverserelation in the different members,respectively.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fullyset forth in the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to thesame parts throughout the different views, and in which,

Fig. 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section,illustrating the device- Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are views lIlwfl'OIltelevation, respectively, of the different disk members used in thedevice; and

Fig. 5 is a view in end elevation asseen from the right of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings,'a conduit 1 is shown illustrated as acylindrical pipe or nipple having exterior threads at its ends wherebythe same conveniently and easily can be connected in the gas linebetween the consumers meter and the place where the gas is burned. Thesaid pipe 1 is also interiorly threaded and adapted to receive thereindisks 2, 3 and 4 having peripheral threads thereon so that they readilcan be screwed into said pipe and can be adjusted to different positionsregardless of the presthrough. the meter materially is reduced.

1926. Serial No. 116,890.

therein. The disks 2, 3 and 4 are provided with a'plurality of holes 2,3 and 4, respectively, twoof such holes being shown in each disk. :Thedisk 2 will be arranged in the pipe most closely adjacent to the meterand the disks 3 and 4 will. be spaced slightly from said disk 2 and fromeach other, as shown in Fig. 1. The holes 3 in'the disk 3 will be at theopposite side of the'disk from that in which the holes 2 in disk2 aredisposed and the holes 4 in disk 4, will slightly overlap one B of theholes 3 in disk 3. The holes 2 3 are thus arranged in reverse or staer-ed relation C23 in the various disks and holes 4 out of alinementwith holes 3.

In operation, a certain number of burners are slightly will-be turned onand lighted. If desired, all

of the burners can be lighted, but preferably,

only such number as are most frequently in useywill be lighted. The rateof flow of gas through the meter is then observed. The conduit 1 withthedisks 2, 3 and 4 is then inserted in the gas line and. the sameburners again are lighted; The disks 2, 3and 4 are adjusted to theproper spacing with the holes in staggered relation so that the burnersfurni'sh good flame and so thatthe flow of gas In actual demonstrations,of which many have been made, it has been foundrthat asubstantialreduction in the flow of gas through the meter is possible, amounting to33 or more. WVhen the disks have been adjusted so as to allow, say twocubic feet'per minute to pass through the meter, only this amountwillpass through at any time, regardless of what pressure is on in the gasmain. In most cities the pressure on the main varies from two feet ofwater to nine feet of water, the minimum usually being regulated by cityordinance. With the regulator so installed the burners will operateefficiently to give all the necessary heat and, in fact, in many testshave been shown to give at least forty percent more heat than before theregulator was installed and when more as was passing through themeapplicant has provided an extremely simple and efficient regulator andone 'Which has a high degree of utility. The device acts as a pressurereducer and regulates the pressure so that the gas passing the device issupplied at a substantially constant pressure. 7 varying pressure of thegas in the main is thus eliminated from the barriers. The strongpressure on the gas forces the same up against the cooking vessels and,together with the induced air current, has a cooling effect on saidvessels. By having aconstantpressure, this effect is eliminated and theburner also acts more efficiently in consuming the gas. With the use ofthe device, a material reduction in the quantity of gas used is effectedand yet the necessary heat is obtained. As stated, the device has beenrepeatedly demonstrated in actual-practice and is being successfullyused in many places.

It will, of course, be understooch that various changes may be made inthe-form, details arrangement and proportions of the parts Withoutdeparting from the scopeof applicants invention which, generally stated,consists in a deivce such as shown and described and set forth in theappended claims.

W hat is claimed is:

1. A device for cont-rolling the flow of combustible gas from a storagesupply to the burners therefor comprising a conduit for the gas and aplurality of spaced members extending across said conduit, said membershaving holes 'therethrough arranged in staggered relation in theadjacent members,

saidiholes in the respective members decreasduit. V A v 2. A device forcontrolling the flowot combustible gas from a storage supply to the.burners therefor comprising a conduitfor the gas, a plurality of spacedadjustable disks therein, each disk having a plurality of holestherethrough of small total cross sectional area compared to the crosssectional area of The mg in size toward the supply end of the consaidconduit, said holes being disposed adjacentopposite sides of adjacentdisks, the holes in respective disks decreasing in size and total crosssectional areatoward the supply end of said conduit. 7

3. A device for controlling the flow of combustible gas from a storagesupply to the burners therefor comprising a conduit for the gas, aplurality of spaced adjustable disks therein, each disk havingaplurality of holes therethrough of smalltot-al cross sectional areacompared to the cross sectional area 0 f said conduit, a pair of saiddisks adjacent the supply end of the conduit being in close proximityand having the holes therein arranged at opposite sides, the diskadjacent said pair in the direction :of the gas flow being spaced moreWidely and having one of the holes therein slightly overlapping a holein the adjacent disk of said pair.

4. A device for regulating the supply of combustible gas for domesticuse, comprising a conduit extending between the gas meter andgas burnersand a plurality of adjustable disks in said conduit, each having aplurality of holes adjacent one side and impertorate adjacent theopposite side, said disks being slightlyspaced and disposed ivith saidholes adjacent opposite sides of said conduit, the holes in saidrespective disks being of different size. i

5. A device for regulatinga supply of combustible gas tea gas'consumingmeans, means comprising a conduit extending to said means and disposedbetween the gas meter and'said means, a plurality of spaced adjustabledisks in said conduit, each having a certain number of holesthcrethrough, the holes in adjacent disks being arranged -in staggeredrela tion and said holes in the respective disks increasing in size in adirection away from said meter.

In testimony whereof I aliin'my signature.

JAMES QUINLAN.

